Mediterranean Entrepreneurship Network – Réseau Entreprendre en Méditerranée

The Mediterranean Entrepreneurship Network project seeks to support the creation of “Réseau Entreprendre” business associations in Morocco and Tunisia to provide mentoring to new-business starters with entrepreneurial potential. Through this project, experienced entrepreneurs will volunteer to personally mentor the new entrepreneurs for the first 2-3 years in monthly meetings. Financial support will also be provided through interest-free, unsecured loans, repayable over 5 years, thereby allowing entrepreneurs to consolidate their equity capital.

The overall objective of the project is to support the consolidation and development of existing associations in Tunisia and Morocco and the creation of 13 new associations of Réseau Entreprendre in these countries. The associations are expected to contribute to the creation of more than 450 companies by 2017, 3,000 new jobs after 3 years of operation and approximately 5,000 jobs after 5 years of operation. This project model is promoted by Réseau Entreprendre International (REI) and has proved to be very successful in France as it has contributed to the creation of 7,600 companies and some 70,000 jobs since its launch.

The project Mediterranean Entrepreneurship Network (Réseau Entreprendre en Méditerranée, in French) forms part of the Mediterranean Initiative for Jobs (Med4Jobs), developed by the UfM Secretariat to help increase the employability of youth and women, close the gap between labour demand and supply, foster a culture of entrepreneurship and boost private sector development.

About the promoter and partner institutions

Réseau Entreprendre was launched in 1986 with the creation of the first association, Entreprendre Nord, in France. Today, Réseau Entreprendre gathers a network of 14,000 experienced entrepreneurs in 62 associations, acting as mentors to new-business starters. This model has proved to be very successful in France as it has contributed to the creation of around 8,600 companies and more than 100,000 jobs.

Réseau Entreprendre International (REI), promoter of the project, was created in 2009 to support entrepreneurs who wish to create Réseau Entreprendre associations in their own countries and replicate the success of the French associations. Réseau Entreprendre associations can be found in 10 countries around the world.

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